You will need to sign on with your LLLID (La Leche League ID) before you can post. If you have never claimed your LLLID, create your LLLID now. To sign in, click the LLLID Sign On button in the upper right corner. Enter your LLLID Alias and click the button again.

how many feeds a day at 7.5 months?

Just wondering what the 'normal' minimum number of feeds tends to be for a 7.5 month old? My son is eating three meals a day, finger feeding most of his food, and eating a fair amount (i let him decide when he's finished and never coax him to eat). He is gaining well, plenty of wet nappies and formed poo, and happy generally. He's starting to lose interest in daytime nursing, often has a few sucks, then he's off! He is unfortunately making up for a lot of it at night (we have a frequent nightwaking problem that's interlinked). I'm ending up pretty full in the evening, empty in the morning. Was just wondering, though, if it would be normal for him to start dropping feeds at this early stage (he only started solids at 6 months), and whether anyone else has experienced this food in the day, milk at night scenario! Also, any suggestions for the nightwaking to nurse (every 2 hours!) Would also be appreciated! We're using the no cry sleep solution but having only sporadic, limited success at the moment.

Re: how many feeds a day at 7.5 months?

Decreased daytime feeding frequency is pretty common when a baby starts solids and gets so interested in the world around him that nursing loses some of its fascination. After solids are introduced, feeding frequency can vary a lot, with some babies nursing just a few times a day (maybe as little as five?) and some still nursing like newborns (8-10 sessions or more). It's really hard to put an absolute minimum on the number of feedings, though, since babies vary so much in need and in efficiency at getting those needs met.

Until a year, you want to minimize your baby's intake of solids and maximize his intake of breast milk, since breastmilk is a complete food and has everything an infant needs for healthy development, whereas solids are not as perfect. If your LO is cutting back on daytime feedings, I would do the following:
- Always offer the breast before solids
- Keep quantities of solid food relatively small
- When it is time to nurse, take baby into a dimly lit, calm environment that is free of distractions, to better enable him to focus on nursing

Re: how many feeds a day at 7.5 months?

My 8 month old is the same way. He eats 3 solid "meals" per day. He seems to breastfeed less during the day and is eager to make up for it during the night. I can only get him to breastfeed "properly" right before or right after nap when he is calm and the room is quiet and dark. It's nearly impossible to get him to breastfeed in the living room as it turns into: suck/look away/suck/look away.... too many distractions for a curious little guy
Regarding the frequent night feedings: I try to fill him up on his breastmilk as much as possible during the day and try to only offer 2-3 night feedings, depending on how he feels. Some nights he will only eats a couple of times while others 3-5 times. In between feedings when he wakes up I either pat him, offer a paci or both.
I also read the no-cry solution and I am doing the gentle Pantley pull off which is working kind off...he will not protest when I remove the paci/breast but it hasnt helped him to sleep longer.
I did the pantley removal with DD too...all it accomplished is her falling asleep AFTER nursing...so yeah she stopped falling asleep on the breast but still woke up nurse as many times and then just turned on her side and fell asleep to wake up soon again...
Sorry for the lenghty post. Just wanted you to know you are not alone

Re: how many feeds a day at 7.5 months?

Originally Posted by @llli*mommal

Decreased daytime feeding frequency is pretty common when a baby starts solids and gets so interested in the world around him that nursing loses some of its fascination. After solids are introduced, feeding frequency can vary a lot, with some babies nursing just a few times a day (maybe as little as five?) and some still nursing like newborns (8-10 sessions or more). It's really hard to put an absolute minimum on the number of feedings, though, since babies vary so much in need and in efficiency at getting those needs met.

Until a year, you want to minimize your baby's intake of solids and maximize his intake of breast milk, since breastmilk is a complete food and has everything an infant needs for healthy development, whereas solids are not as perfect. If your LO is cutting back on daytime feedings, I would do the following:
- Always offer the breast before solids
- Keep quantities of solid food relatively small
- When it is time to nurse, take baby into a dimly lit, calm environment that is free of distractions, to better enable him to focus on nursing

thanks for that! I have been offering him breastmilk before his meals but I think I need to create a very boring environment somewhere where he doesn't get distracted! Since he is a very enthusiastic eater, it seems I'll need to monitor it a bit more closely. Ironically, after I posted earlier today he did have a proper feed, before lunch, and another before dinner (albeit popping on and off about 10 times to look at daddy!), and is already sleeping better so far than he has been the last few days when he was concentrating his feeds at night.

Re: how many feeds a day at 7.5 months?

Originally Posted by @llli*love4baby

I also read the no-cry solution and I am doing the gentle Pantley pull off which is working kind off...he will not protest when I remove the paci/breast but it hasnt helped him to sleep longer.
I did the pantley removal with DD too...all it accomplished is her falling asleep AFTER nursing...so yeah she stopped falling asleep on the breast but still woke up nurse as many times and then just turned on her side and fell asleep to wake up soon again...
Sorry for the lenghty post. Just wanted you to know you are not alone

Thanks for the support - all sounds just like us! I've only been doing the pantley pull off for a few weeks consistently, and he went through a phase of rolling over and falling asleep after nursing, then had this great phase of only waking up twice a night, then we went back to really frequent night waking the last few nights, and he's been fighting the pull off a bit. I remain ever-hopeful, though, and am trying some other gentle techniques from the book as well, and remain ever-hopeful! Best of luck to you!